Fuel-injected Enfield on the way

For the first time in half a decade Royal Enfield is updating its air-cooled single engine to comply with emissions laws.

The stringent Euro3 legislation requires lower emissions levels than is feasible with the current carburetted design, so a whole new engine is being built complete with more environmentally friendly fuel injection.

Current Royal Enfields are built using the antiquated pre-unit construction, which means the gearbox and engine separate components allowing easier gearbox maintenance. It also means the engine/gearbox is heavier and more expensive to produce, so to save cash and reduce weight the engine and gearbox are now being housed within one casing.

Fuel injection is used for the first time on a Royal Enfield, which allows more accurate and efficient fuelling to get through the emissions test. The bike is also being restyled, though the design has not been finalised. Royal Enfield spokesperson Dan Sager told MCN:

“Our Sales Director visited the factory in Chennai recently to test a pre-production prototype and was impressed with the results. We plan to exhibit the new model at the NEC in November and it will go on sale in the UK in Spring 2008.”